


His Eyes

by bluehasnoclues



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No One Is Okay, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Indulgent, this begins as a wattpad cliche and descends into shameless self indulgence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 16:08:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17267213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluehasnoclues/pseuds/bluehasnoclues
Summary: Percy is, once again, recruited to play the hero. He is so not cool with this.Loki helps.





	His Eyes

**Nick Fury looked** at the file in front of him.  After almost a year, this mysterious boy had finally returned to New York.  SHIELD had kept their eye on him for the past four and a half years, so Fury wondered why the agency was calling for him to be brought in  _ now _ . 

What use could a 17-year-old boy be to the World’s Mightiest Heroes?

Nevertheless, Fury could not disobey direct orders from above, especially when SHIELD was still unstable. 

The one-eyed man grinned.  His curiosity had officially been piqued. 

\--

“Perseus Jackson, son of Sally Jackson and step-son of Paul Blofis,” Nick Fury announced to the six people in front of him.  “He’s been on and off our radar for five years as a suspected terrorist. It is  _ certain _ that he is in contact with some dangerous people.  I would like all of you to find him and bring him in for questioning.”

“What kind of dangerous people?”  Natasha Romanoff asked cautiously. 

“It’s classified,” Fury told her.  “But I can assure you, they are not people you want to be messing with.”

“Five years?”  Steve Rogers said.  “That’s a long time.  Has no one even attempted bringing him in?”

Fury smiled dully.  “It has never been relevant until now, for reasons you do not have the clearance to know.  But your team is the best chance we have to make this go smoothly.”

“Does he, like, have guards or something?  Live in a triple-security building? Have an unnatural attraction to guns?”  Tony Stark asked.

“No,” Fury replied with an unreadable look on his face.  “He lives alone in a cabin on Montauk Beach. Hopefully, with all of you, detaining him won’t be a problem.”

“Do you know which cabin?”  Natasha asked. Fury took a single piece of paper out of the file in front of him and slid it across the table.  It was a map, with a bright red ‘X’ on part of the beach. 

“‘X’ marks the spot,” Bruce Banner mumbled to himself.  “But why do you need all us? Is this “Perseus” really that dangerous?”

Fury nodded once.  “Do not underestimate him.  Thor, you may have the best chance with this one.”

“Why him?”  Clint Barton asked, who had been quietly watching from the corner. 

“It’s classified,” Fury said, his voice slightly smug.  “Just don’t screw this up.”

And with that, the director of SHIELD left the room. 

\--

Percy yawned as he walked across the beach.  He hadn't slept in gods know how long because of his nightmares.  Tartarus still tortured him, even after all of this time. Needless to say, the hero was exhausted. 

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to do anything about it.  Almost all of his friends were dead, save for the people back at Camp Half-Blood.  The rest of the Seven had fallen in their final battle to defeat Gaea – and most of them to protect Percy, which did nothing to ease the guilt. 

But Percy  _ had _ to keep going, because otherwise, Annabeth would have died in vain.  That didn’t mean it wasn’t difficult, though.

The hero was brought out of his thoughts when he sensed multiple people approaching him from behind.  He didn’t turn around, deciding to see what they would do. They had found him, after all, so they must have wanted something. 

“Perseus Jackson,” a metallic voice called out.  “We’re gonna need you to come with us.”

At this point Percy  _ did _ turn around, if only out of curiosity.  Before him stood three people dressed in odd clothing; a man in a red-white-and-blue spandex suit, a man completely covered in metal (Percy assumed that he was the one to speak first), and a man dressed in armor and a cape, carrying a large hammer. 

“Who are you?”  He asked cautiously. 

“We’re the Avengers,” the same man said, the one in the metal suit.  “Come on, the ones that saved New York?”

Percy looked blankly at the trio.  “I haven’t been keeping up with the news.”

“Yeah, sure.  Keep pretending, kid.  Everyone knows who we are.”

Percy scowled.  “ _ I _ don’t, so shut up.  What do you want?”

“The point it, we’re the good guys,” spandex-suit said, trying to diffuse the tension.  “You can trust us.” Percy only snorted.

“Trust.  Yeah, that’s funny.”                                                   

“Listen, kid, either you come with us or we bring you in by force,” metal-man announced.

“I don’t want a fight,” the boy said quickly.  “I’ll come. Lead the way.”

He was done fighting.

\--

It didn’t take long to get back to the tower, and the Avengers couldn’t help but feel something was off about Percy.  He didn’t say a word as they drove, and he definitely didn’t put up a fight as Fury had predicted. Still, even though he came willingly, the stern look on his face suggested that he wouldn’t cooperate if he didn’t want to.

When they arrived, Fury was already standing out front.  As Percy got out of the van, the director of SHIELD smiled. 

“Perseus Jackson.  Nice to finally meet you,” Fury said. 

“Percy.  Who’re you?”  The boy asked for the second time that day.

“You don’t need to know that,” the director replied.  “We’re going to need to do a few quick tests, if you don’t mind.  Stark and Banner can do the honors.”

“Um… I still don’t know who you are talking about,” Percy quipped. Fury sighed, and introduced each of them in turn.

“So if you would follow Stark, he’ll lead you to your evaluation.”

“What’s going to be in this… evaluation?”  The boy asked. 

“It’s just to see where you are,” Fury told him, avoiding the question.  Percy shrugged and followed Stark into a small room lined with medical supplies. 

“So what now?”  Percy asked. Tony only shrugged.

“I dunno, kid.  Normally we just do a history and a physical.  So, have you ever been diagnosed with anything?”

Percy hesitated for a moment, then said, “ADHD and Dyslexia.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”

Tony studied the boy in front of him carefully.  “You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Any history of diabetes, cancer, anything?  Even things like asthma?”

“Nope.”

“Really?”

Percy rolled his eyes.  “My dad’s side of the family is most definitely healthy, and my mom tries to stay in shape and all, so I’m good.  That all?”

“I dunno,” Tony said.  “Bruce normally does this.  Why isn’t he in here? Banner!”

A man in a lab coat rushed in.  “Oh, yeah. You’re Perseus, right?  I’m Bruce. Bruce Banner.”

“ _ Percy _ ,” Percy corrected.  “Why am I here?”

Bruce hesitated.  “We were told to bring you in.  Heard you were in contact with some bad people.”

Percy shrugged.  “Isn’t everyone? Now, what do I have to do to get out of here?”

“We can’t let you out until we get the all-clear from the director,” Bruce said.  “So until then, just answer our questions and it’ll be fine.”

“Okay…” Percy was obviously wary, but he was too tired to fight or snark his way out of this one.  He’d go with it until it got bad, he decided. “Do I get food? Because I’m hungry.”

“Sure, kid.  What do you want?”  Tony asked, who had been standing in the corner, quietly trying to figure out what made this guy special.  He looked perfectly ordinary, but then again, so did Bruce. 

“Pizza, I guess?”

Tony nodded and left the room.  Bruce turned to Percy again. 

“So… do you have any powers?”  Bruce asked. 

“Nope,” Percy said, perhaps a bit too quickly. 

“You know, you have to answer our questions honestly.”

“I am,” Percy replied.  “No powers. Nope.”

“Okay… well, do you know how to fight?”

“A little?”  The teenager didn’t know how to respond.

“How?”  Bruce asked.  “Weapons, fists…?”

“A little of both?  I’m not sure, I’m not good at fighting.”

Bruce sighed.  This boy would be the death of him.  If the director had called him in, of  _ course _ he knew more than “a little.”  And Percy’s posture just screamed I’m-on-the-brink-of-killing-something-but-I’m-not-supposed-to. 

“How about we get you out in the rink with one of ours?  I feel like that would be more helpful.”

“I’m not fighting anyone,” Percy said immediately.  Then, under his breath, he muttered, “I’m done hurting people.”

Bruce knew how Percy felt, but he needed to do his job, so he brought Percy out into their unofficial boxing rink and invited Steve over. 

“Steve, Percy, this is a  _ friendly _ match.  Whoever can pin the other to the ground wins.”  Bruce already knew that Steve would be the victor, but he wanted to see how the young boy held up.

The two men stepped into the ring, Steve getting into a boxing stance and Percy standing back with his hands in his pockets. 

And so it began. 

 

> Steve

_ There’s something about this kid _ .

I watched the boy, Percy, as he casually stood in the corner of the ring.  His posture seemed relaxed but after years of fighting with soldiers, I knew one when I saw one. 

He was waiting, watching me warily as I got into a stance.  Every muscle in his body seemed prepared to move and he shifted onto the balls of his feet. 

I saw him palm something in his pocket, then quickly take his hands out, shaking his head.  Something came over his eyes –  _ sadness? _

Not wanting to drag this out, I lunged and threw a punch at his cheek.  I pulled back before I hit, not wanting to kill the poor kid, but…

Percy stepped out of the way a second before my fist would have made contact.  He held his hands behind his back.

“I’m not fighting you,” Percy said.  “You can come at me, but I won’t touch you.”

“Kid, we need to do this,” I retort, a sick feeling spreading in my stomach.  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Ditto,” he mumbled, obviously not meaning for me to hear, then said, “I’m not a kid.  And I’m not fighting.”

“Percy, you have to try,” Bruce called from the other side of the gym. 

Percy only rolled his eyes.  He was pretending to be annoyed, I noticed, but I saw the way his shoulders slumped slightly and his eyes glazed over, as if remembering something. 

“You asked for it,” he said lowly, before calmly walking over to me.  I was still in a defensive position, but I threw out another punch towards his gut.

I was glad I pulled back when I felt my fist hit skin.

But I noticed I had closed my eyes out of instinct, worry for this young boy.  Bruce’s light gasp brought me back to my senses.

Percy had caught my fist. 

“Damn,” he said, letting out a small breath.  “You’re strong. What are you?”

_ What, _ I noticed.   _ Is he not expecting me to be human? _

“Enhanced,” I forced out, shoving him off me and sending him flying across the ring.

He landed on his feet, bouncing slightly.  “Can I get what you’re having? Because that shit is  _ cool _ .”

“How old are you, twenty?  You don’t want to see everything I’ve seen, kid.”

His eyes hardened, and I regretted my choice of words.  He closed his eyes for a moment as if to steady himself. 

“Seventeen, actually,” the light tone of his voice betraying his emotionless face.  “And trust me, I could take it.”

Percy was the one to make the first move this time.  He threw out his arm, smirking slightly when I blocked it with my own.  I felt a slight pain in my stomach before I registered the fact that he had just punched me.  I kicked him in the chest, but he only grabbed by ankle and pulled me forward, twisting his leg around my other one and pulling. 

I almost lost balance but managed to catch myself, spinning around and sending a kick towards him in one swift move. 

He ducked.   _ How is that even possible?  Who is he? _

We traded punches for a few minutes, never landing blows that would cause more than a bruise.  I got the distinct impression that he was holding back.

So was I, of course, but how could I unleash a fully trained super-soldier on a minor?

I couldn’t, that’s how. 

Then I seemed to find a weak spot right above his hip.  He gasped when I struck him, stumbling back.

“ _ Di immortales,” _ He cursed, coughing slightly.  “Can we call it a draw? I need some water.”

Bruce, having watched the entire exchange, yelled out, “Not until one of you gets the other on the ground.”

“This is ridiculous!”  Percy exclaimed. “I’m no danger to you and I really just want to go home, okay?”

When Bruce didn’t respond, Percy sighed.  He moved quickly, taking me by surprise. 

Within a second, I was laying on the ground, struggling to breathe.  Percy’s knee was on my chest.

The boy looked at me and sighed, stepping away and offering a hand.  I gladly took it. 

“Impressive, kid,” I said, nodding my head. 

He only muttered “screw you” and walked out of the gym. 

“Clint?  Natasha?”  Bruce called.  “You can come out now.”  The two emerged from an adjoining room from where they had watched the entire fight.

“He has potential,” Natasha stated.  “I could see you holding back, Rogers, but I barely saw him move at the end as he pinned you.”

I grunted in response.  “Where’s Thor? Someone needs to make sure Percy doesn’t do anything.”

“I saw him follow Percy out, don’t worry,” Clint replied. 

“I’ll keep an eye on them both,” Natasha said, then walked out of the room. 

_ I’m not sure whether to see an ally or an enemy in this Percy kid. _

 

> Percy

Idiot.

I’m an idiot.

I was  _ trying _ to keep myself on the down-low and get out of this place as soon as I could.  But  _ no _ , I had to let his comment get to me.

And then he hit my still-healing burn from last night’s torture session with Tartarus.  Typically I could ignore pain, but he was strong. Too strong to be human… enhanced, he said?

But something about the man made me curious.  He had the same look in his eye as Nico and a glint I had seen on far too many campers – a warrior, out of his time.

I heard heavy footsteps behind me as the blondie with a hammer caught up. 

“Perseus Jackson,” he boomed.  “It is an honor. I am Thor Odinson, god of thunder.”

I looked up at him.   _ Annabeth had mentioned something about a Thor, _ I thought.  “Norse, huh?”

“Yes, young hero.  We have not yet received news in Asgard of the fate of the last battle with Gaea.  What happened?”

I looked down.  “We won, obviously.  Many people lost their lives.”

Thor looked a mix between shocked and worried.  “What came of the other of the Seven? I would wish to meet them.”

I shook my head slowly.  “Can’t do that, sorry. I’m the last.  And someone is coming up behind us, so I’d really appreciate if you kept this a secret.”

“Of course,” he said, nodding.  “Anything for the Savior. I am sorry for your loss.”

I laughed slightly, but it sounded hollow even to myself.  “Thanks, but I’m not the one that deserves that title, Thor.”  I fell silent as the person behind us grew closer. She was surprisingly light on her feet, probably trained intensively. 

“Hello, person I don’t know,” I said as I feel her behind me.  She started. Maybe she’s used to being more invisible. 

“Natasha,” she introduced as I turned around.  Thor smiled, patting me on the back forcefully and leaving me alone with the red-head.  “Also known as the Black Widow.”

I scrunched my nose.  “The what now?”

She’s silent.  “There’s no way you know nothing about the Avengers, Percy.”

I laughed again.  “You can say I’ve been living under a rock.”  If the underworld counted as a rock. “You mentioned an attack on New York?  What was that about? Did it have anything to do with the last one?”

“The last one?”

_ Crap.  I forgot about the Mist _ .   _ They wouldn’t know anything about Kronos. _  “Um, never mind.  But seriously, I’m clueless.”

She sighed.  “Thor’s brother, Loki, unleashed an alien army on the city.  We stopped it.”

“Oh.  That sucks.”  I almost feel bad for being blunt when she adopts a cold, emotionless mask.

“Many died.  They deserve more than a ‘that sucks.’”

I smiled slightly.  “They always do, Natasha.  But I’ve learned that it does no good to dwell on what we have lost.”

“How can you be so flippant?”  She asked, her lip curling. I looked her in the eye.

“You’ve been through pain,” I said quietly.  “I can see it. You’ve loved and you’ve lost but you still have hope, and that is where we differ.  Now, changing the subject before you kill me, what happened to this Loki dude? Did he die?”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.  “Why do you want to know?”

“I’ve seen quite a few bad guys, and I’ve noticed that they all seem to be related somehow.  And I sort of have one after me and it would be awesome if this Loki character knew something.”

“You will never see him again.  He is locked away in a place he will never escape.”

I frowned, looking at her, feeling the gears turn in my head.  “So, Avengers, group of six superheroes who saved a city which I’m assuming prevented something bigger, otherwise you wouldn’t be acting so high-and-mighty.  Aliens… totally cool, by the way, but it’d be way cooler if they weren’t evil… oh well. Thor is a god, so Loki must be too. That’s why you’re so afraid, because vengeful gods are assholes.  He’s probably locked on Asgard, because it would be too much of a risk to keep him here. Wait a minute, aliens…  _ shit _ .”

I looked at her.  “I need to see Loki, now.”

Two hours later, I was in a room with a guy with an eyepatch and the six superheroes. 

“What do you want with a murderer?”  The eyepatch dude asked me. I had learned a few minutes ago that his name was Fury, but that brought back bad memories. 

_ Now how do I explain being tortured in a demigod dream by a primordial who happened to gloat about aliens and growl at the mention of a trickster?  Who, I’m hoping, is Loki. _

“I… think him and I may have a common enemy.  I was held captive and said enemy let something slip.  He was bragging, since he tends to like that, about him teaming up with some really old really powerful really evil alien guy and he seemed pissed about some ‘youngling trickster god’ who kept getting in the way.”  I thought I did rather well, personally.

I was still reeling at the thought of  _ aliens _ .  I mean, don’t I have enough on my plate?

“And who is this ‘common enemy?’”  Eyepatch asked. 

I hesitated for a moment.  “He’s another really old really powerful really evil dude.  If this alien dude thing is as bad as my guy says he is, they could do some serious damage.”

“You said you were captured,” Natasha pointed out, eyes narrowed.  “How did you get away?”

I ignored the knot in my stomach.  “Friends.”

“What happened to these friends?”  Clint asked. 

“They died.”  My voice is flat.  “Making sure I stuck around long enough to make sure my evil guy doesn’t ever get into power.”

“How are we supposed to know what any of you are saying is true, if you won’t even say this dude’s name?”  Tony asked. I sighed, looking at Thor.

“I can’t say much,” I said slowly.  “But, Thor, I suppose you’ve heard of Tartarus?”

The god gasped.  “It can’t be. He is near powerless, is he not?”

“Who’s this tartar guy?”  Tony asked. “Why’s he a big deal?”

“He’s, um, been out of commission for a very long time,” I said carefully.

“Millennia,” Thor added.

“And…”  I continued, shaking my head slightly.  “Something recently…” I gave Thor a pointed look, “ _ someone, _ made it so he began to regain his power.  And when he does, the New York battle you just fought in… it’s like comparing being in a kiddie pool  _ with  _ floaties to a class-5 hurricane.”

“Was it her?”  Thor asked, trying to be discreet.  “The one who began…”

I nodded.  “Yeah, it was Gaea.  I took her down, so she’s not a problem anymore, but Tartarus is.  You don’t want to see what he can do. Trust me.”

“But you have?”  Steve asked. “When you were held captive?”

My voice came out strained.  “I saw a small portion, yeah.  If Loki knows anything, he’s our best bet.”

“I will not let you go,” Eyepatch said.  “I don't know you, I don’t trust you, and I’m certainly not about to endanger the world because of some threat that may or may not exist.”

Thor stood up.  “This is bigger than you, Fury.  I will take him. Perseus Jackson does not lie.”

“And you know that how?”  Eyepatch looked pissed. 

Thor’s voice was quiet, somehow making it a thousand times more intimidating.  “Because while I do not personally know him, I know  _ of _ him, and the fact that he is standing here today makes him more of a hero than you will ever be.”

“Shut  _ up, _ ” I growled, glaring at Thor as Fury tried to regain his composure in the corner.  “And sit down. If you don’t want me to see Loki, Eyepatch, fine. I’ll drop it and help you fight in a war you will never win.”

I shouldn’t fight, but I couldn’t let myself stand by as innocent people died.

“Good,” Eyepatch said, nodding once.  “But call me Fury.”

Thor cut it.  “No, Perseus,” he said, ignoring my glare as he used my full name for the second time.  “You will come with me. We need every advantage we can possibly find.” Before I could move away, he grabbed my arm and called out, “Heimdall!”

And I don’t even know how to describe what happened next.

 

> Percy

I was in a void of color.

It was like a tunnel of swirling images and bits of time and rainbows.  It hurt my eyes. 

I landed (materialized?  I don't know) on a circular thing attached to a bridge, which seemed to be floating in midair. 

I held back the urge to vomit.

“Hello, Perseus,” a man said.  He was tall and was wearing an odd helmet with horns, and had a giant sword and glowing eyes.  What the heck?

“Percy,” I muttered, standing up.  “Where’d Thor go, that SOB?” 

_ Yes, I know he got me where I wanted to go, but was this really the best way to do it? _

“Behind you.”  I spun around and sure enough, there the god was in all his cape-wearing glory.  Maybe the extravagant dress thing isn’t only Thor, considering Heimdall’s outfit.  “Come, Percy, we must hurry.”

We walked along the bridge, me trying desperately not to fall off (for a demigod that’s fought in two wars and defeated Gaea herself, you’d think I wouldn’t be so clumsy).  Thor went to put his hand on my shoulder to steady me, but I shrugged him off.

I was about to see a man who started a war and killed a crap ton of people – I could walk across a damn bridge, fear of heights and all.

_ Ha, a dam bridge.  _

Thor led me into a large palace (compensating much?) and down a series of halls.  I made sure to pay attention to where we were going. He walked down a few flights of stairs and into something that looked like a high tech dungeon. 

Thor motioned to a door in the corner.  “That’s Loki. He’s in a cell. As long as you do not open it, he will not be able to harm you.   _ Don’t open the cell _ .  I will see my father and hope that he leaves you long enough to talk.  He will not agree with you being here, but perhaps I can change his mind.”

“Got it.  Thanks, buddy.”

When he turned and began walking back up the stairs, I eyed the door a little apprehensively. 

_ For Annabeth. _

I opened it quickly and slipped in, eyes immediately having to adjust to the harsh light.

“And who might my newest visitor be?”  A smooth voice asked. I looked up – a man stood in the corner of a completely white cell (with the exception of the glass wall between us).  Apparently, dressing in ridiculous clothes  _ was _ an Asgardian thing.  At least this dude didn’t have a helmet or a giant hammer. 

Well, he  _ was _ in a prison cell. 

Loki’s hair was neatly slicked back, not a strand out of place.  I noticed a sort of muzzle/mouth guard by the cell door (on my side).  I suppose the trickster god must be used to worming his way out of situations and this was an extra precaution to protect against him doing so.

“Loki,” I greeted, my voice soft but strong.  “If you are half as brilliant as they claim you are, you should already know the answer to my question.”

He smirked.  “Of course I do, but I wanted to see what you would say, Percy Jackson.”

I was about to correct him on my name, but realized that he said it right. 

_ What? _

_ Not complaining, though. _

“Then you should know what I am here to ask,” I said.  Loki frowned.

“No.  I could not see that.  Why are you here, demigod?”

“I heard you killed a lot of people,” I said, looking up at the ceiling and sitting down crisscrossed on the floor.  “Totally not cool, dude.”

Amusement and irritation flashed across Loki’s face before he resumed his cool mask.  “They needed a leader.”

I sighed.  “Whatever, the past is in the past.  I came to ask you about someone who might be in the little villain-circle bad guys always have.”

“And why should you trust me?”

I rolled my eyes.  “I don’t, but if I let my immediate hatred get in the way, he will kill us all.”

“Who, demigod?”

“Tartarus.”

The room grew several degrees cooler, and I could swear Loki looked a little blue.  “What has happened?” Even his voice sounded cold. 

“Woah, cool down, man,” I said, snickering softly, trying to hide the uneasy feeling that took up residence in my stomach.  “Nothing’s happened yet. But apparently he’s teamed up with some powerful alien asshole and wants universe domination or something.”

“And how do you know this?”

It was my turn for my voice to turn cold.  “It doesn’t matter. What do you know?” I blinked back memories, keeping my face blank.

Loki looked at me, eyes curious.  “I know that Tartarus is old and wishes to rise again.  I know that it is said that he is darker than his brother Erebos, the embodiment of darkness.  And of his ally, I know that Thanos is one of the last sons of A'Lars. He’s the last survivor of the original settlement of Eternals on Titan.”

I let loose a long breath.  “That’s… bad.”

“Yes.  Demigod, how are you connected to Tartarus?  What happened in the last war?”

I made myself numb to stop the onslaught of emotions that was sure to ensue.  “People died. We won.”

I got the unnerving impression that Loki was studying me.  He slowly walked over before mirroring the way I was sitting, directly in front of me. 

“Why did you truly come here, Percy?”

I paused for a minute.  “I was curious as to what could drive a decent man to murder innocents.”

His eyes hardened.  “Then you should not have come.  There is no decent man here.”

I let my gaze flicker over him.  “Maybe. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t curious.”

“And did you learn anything?”  Loki asked. I couldn’t read his face. 

“Yes.”

When I stopped there, he laughed.  Like,  _ actually _ laughed.  “What, Percy, are you going to keep me in wait?”

“Yes,” I repeated, smiling slightly.  It was forced but Loki didn’t seem to notice.  Then, I went and did what I was expressly told _ not _ to do (since when do I not), and opened the cell.

Loki looked at me, not bothering to hide his shock.  “What are you doing?” He asked as I stepped in, letting the door close behind me.  I heard it lock automatically.

“You do know you have just trapped yourself in here with me?”  He asks dryly.

“They told me not to open the door, okay, and that’s basically making  _ sure _ I open the door.  But I can’t let you out because I don’t want to put anyone in danger, considering you're still a murderer.”

Besides, my powers were not of this world and consequently, could not be contained to this cell.

I walked up to him, noting that we were around the same height (him being slightly taller).  “And if I hurt you?” He asked menacingly. 

I smirked.  “I wouldn’t let you.”

“You would be powerless to stop me, demigod.  I am immortal.”

I only shrugged.  “The son of the Earthshaker versus a silver-tongued god.  Do you really want to try me?”

 

> Loki

“Do you really want to try me?”  The young boy asked. 

“You’ve brought valuable information.  Who knows what else you might have up in that little head of yours.”  I touched my finger to his temple, smirking. 

I knew what it was like to be invaded like that – I wouldn’t actually make good on my threat unless my life was in danger.  But he didn’t know that. 

The demigod hid his fear well.  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” he said flatly, keeping his face blank. 

I wasn’t fooled. 

The idiot thought I wouldn’t notice the bags under his eyes or the way he swayed slightly when standing up.  His right hand trembled every few minutes and his clothes hung off his clearly underweight frame. 

But despite seeming physically weak, his eyes told me differently. 

Perseus was tired, but that was not what made him falter.  He was struggling to retain control over his immeasurable powers. 

_ He could snap at any moment and kill us all. _

Sea-green eyes locked onto mine.  “I see you, Loki,” he said softly.  “I’m not a fool. I can see the pain in your eyes.  I don’t know what happened, but I can see that you  _ were _ a decent man.”

“And now?”  I said, forcing myself to sound nonchalant.  No one will believe that the Tesseract had me under its control – well, mostly – and for some reason, his opinion seems important.

_ Unless I don’t like what he says. _

“I believe that now you have to  _ choose _ to be a decent man rather than a corrupt one.”

“And how do I make that choice?”

He laughed softly, a hollow, broken sound.  “I’m still figuring that one out myself.”

“But you have Annabeth, do you not?  Surely that helps –”

“ _ Don’t _ you  _ dare _ speak her name,” he snarled.  I was thrown against a wall, unable to see what was pinning me. 

After a moment, terror enveloped me. 

_ I can’t move. _

I gasped for air, trying to breathe.  Then I was able to move my chest, to fill my lungs, and I was still terrified. 

_ How? _

“I’m sorry –” I started, refusing to show weakness, keeping my façade of coyness.  “I did not mean to bring anything up. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I do mind,” he said, glaring at me, but released me to fall in a heap on the ground.  I immediately got up, composing myself. 

“How did you…”  I can’t help but ask, but find myself trailing off.

_ Do not look weak in front of this mere boy.  You are more than this. _

He smiled, but it looked more like a grimace.  “The body is 70% water. Even gods, when you are in this form.”

_This ‘mere boy’_ _could kill you in the blink of an eye while you are in this cell, magic depleted._

I moved to say something, but he cut me off.  “She’s dead.”

Ice crawled up my spine.  “Who?” I wanted to know who killed her.

“Why do you care?”  He didn’t sound angry, just… tired.  Well, perhaps slightly angry.

“I knew her.  She was my friend.”  I had only seen her twice, but Annabeth Chase was the type of person that grew on you while she kicked your ass. 

Percy didn’t look surprised.  “She always did have a way of catching me off guard,” he muttered, before saying, “Gaea.”

I felt my lips pull back, anger overwhelming me as blue tinted my vision.

“Chill, Loki.  I already killed her.  Well, as much as you can kill a primordial.”  His voice was flat. Dead. 

“How?”  I was hoping it was slow and painful.  I never liked the bitch. 

I could see Percy darken.  “She got what she deserved.”

For some reason, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know anymore. 

I stood up straighter, brushing imaginary dust off my clothes, my mind already made up.  “How can I assist with Tartarus and Thanos?”

A small smile broke out on his face.  A cruel, menacing thing. “I have an idea.  But it will take time. And your father will not agree.”

“He’s not my father,” I growled.  Percy shrugged.

“Odin, then.  You can stop hiding, guys, I know you’re there.”

_ Ah, so Percy noticed them too. _

Thor, Frigga, and Odin stepped out of the shadows, from where they had been present for most of our conversation. 

“Now,” Percy said, addressing Odin, “you’ve seen what I can do to him.”

The three people nodded, me scowling in the background. 

“So you know I can keep him under control.”

“Be careful of what you say next, Perseus,” Odin warned. 

“I want to take Loki back to Earth.”

“No,” Thor and Odin snapped at the same time.  Frigga looked thoughtful. 

“You wish to use him,” she stated. 

“Yes.  He would be a major advantage to level the playing field a bit.”

“He is a threat and needs to be contained,” Odin said harshly. 

“And I can contain him,” Percy retorted.  “If he doesn’t behave, I’ll kill him. Or get Heimdall to send him back.  But he comes with me.”

Odin looked like he was about to refuse again when Frigga stepped in.  “On one condition,” she said, face carefully blank. “You stay here for a week.  Show us that you can do what you say you can when he is around us.”

Odin was obviously furious, but didn’t say anything as Frigga glared at him.  Thor watched me as he unlocked the cell holding both of us. As Percy walked out, Odin grabbed the face mask by the door and walked toward me.

Percy watched but did not object. 

They led us to two adjoining rooms, which I recognized as both the most reinforced and guarded dwellings in the palace. 

Not that I can blame them.  I was a threat.

And Percy perhaps even more so.

Odin shoved me in and glared at Percy before leaving us alone, slamming the door on his way out.  When Percy made his way toward me, I held back a growl.

_ And a flinch.  You’re a weakling. _

Seeing the look in my eye, Percy said, “I’m just taking the stupid face thingy and handcuffs off, okay?”

His fingers were hot against my cheeks as he worked to get it off.  When it was laying on the floor, I spat, “Do you really trust me to not kill you while you sleep?  I would not blink an eye over your death, demigod.”

As he worked on my handcuffs, Percy looked at me, thinking.  After a few minutes, as the handcuffs were finally coming off, he said, “I suppose it’s a good thing I don’t sleep.”

 

> Percy

What in the Hades was I thinking?

Getting Loki out?  Saying I’d keep him contained?  Taking him out of the cell which kept his powers from literally getting into my head?

_ Well, if you die, it’s not like you have anything left to lose. _

I trudged over to my room, scowling when I realized they wouldn’t have a TV.  Instead, they had a large bookshelf, with several books written in Greek and Latin.

_ Sweet. _

I picked one out – something about fairy tales – and flopped on the couch.  “Loki!” I called out, then heard him start walking toward me. “Don’t kill anyone while I’m not watching, please!”

I didn’t fully trust him, obviously, but I could keep track of him through the water molecules in the air. 

_ Hydrogen and Oxygen.  That’s all it takes. _

I opened the book, already bored.  Feeling my eyes start to close (it was probably around two in the morning, Earth time), I got up and paced while slowly making my way through the book.  After a good hour, I heard a voice drawl from behind me.

“Sit down.  You’re making me sick,” Loki said, leaning against the doorway.  He sounded amused. When I glared at him, he raised his hands in surrender.  “When I said I was going to kill you while you slept, I didn’t actually mean it.”

I didn’t respond.

This time his voice was serious.  “Percy, I don’t want to die. Which means I won't kill you.”

“Yet,” I mumbled and turned to him.  “Chill, Loki, this isn’t about you. Go to bed.  I’ll be quieter.”

“What is it, Percy?  Do you drool?”

I shook my head to rid me of memories.  “You suck, Morpheus,” I said under my breath, cursing the creature that was trying to pull me under.  “Yes, Loki. Now go. Close the door or something.”

The god was quiet.

“If you don’t rest and I’ve not fully regained my magic, you’ll eventually snap and kill everyone.”

I gave him a wide, obviously faked grin.  “Yep! Now off to bed you pop!”

He sighed and shook his head, leaving the room.  I began exercising – but after 50 pushups, 100 sit-ups, and 24 burpees, Loki reappeared in front of me. 

_ I hate magic. _

“You have nightmares, don’t you?”  He asked. It sounded like a genuine question – no judgement or pity. 

“None of your business,” I grumbled, and started stretching.  Burpees sucked anyway.

“I soundproofed the doors.  They won’t hear you.”

“Yippee, now you have an extra few hours to escape after killing me.  Lucky me.” I made my tone light as I grinned. “Go to bed, man. I’ll sleep later.”

“Don’t lie to the god of lies, Perseus.”

“Don’t bother the demigod of stubbornness, Loki.”

“Don’t be the idiot that you are and we have a deal.”

I rolled my eyes.  “Fine. Whatever. Now go away.”

“Rest, Percy, or I  _ will _ kill you.”

I laughed.  “Yeah, sure.  If you can, be my guest.  But you should probably soundproof your room, too.”

There was something in the god’s eyes that I couldn’t place, but I shrugged it off as he walked away.  It had been three days since I last slept, and since most of my wounds had healed, there was no time like the present.

“Okay, Morpheus, Tartarus, old buddies,” I said aloud.  “Do your worst.”

\--

I woke an hour later, severely regretting my choice of words.  Tartarus knew I went to Loki and definitely wasn’t happy about that.

I was glad I slept on the marble floor, because I would have ruined the bedsheets with my blood if I had used my bed.  Tartarus had a way of making sure the injuries and pain remained, that asshole. 

I forced myself to my feet.   _ Di immortales, that hurts. _  I stumbled into the bathroom, searching for water.

_ Crap.  This isn’t the bathroom. _

I slowly backed out of Loki’s room, cursing my pain-drunk brain.  I went to close the door, quietly as I could, when I heard a groggy voice.

“Perseus, what do you think you are doing?”

_ Crapcrapcrap _

I was glad for the dark of the room.  “Sorry, got a little turned around.” I walked back out, wincing as pain shot through me with every step. 

_ Go to Tartarus, Tartarus. _

“Is that… blood?”  Loki asked, sounding a lot closer now.  “I smell blood. I told you to rest, what did you do?  Did you do this to yourself?”

I cleared my throat, trying to rid myself of the fog that was slowly seeping into my brain.  “Leave it, Loki,” I said firmly, trying to walk to the bathroom without falling over.

I heard a click, and light flooded the room.  Loki was in front of me in loose-fitting green silk pajamas (talk about ridiculous.  Who sleeps in  _ silk? _ ), his hair unruly and feet bare. 

But when I looked in his eyes, it took everything I had not to shrink back at the pure rage reflected there.

_ Is that what I looked like that day? _

_ The man who made Gaea beg for mercy.  Yes, it is no wonder everyone is terrified of you. _

“What happened?”  Loki asked, practically spitting out the question.  I only waved him off and limped my way to the bathroom, finding it a lot easier with the light. 

I found a shower (thank the gods they have those on Asgard) and turned the water on as cold as it would go, hissing slightly as I stepped in fully clothed and lowered myself onto the ground.  Loki stood above me. 

“What happened?  Who did this to you?”

I looked up at him, relishing the water as it worked to heal my wounds.  Some would stay – I didn't know what Tartarus had done, but some of the wounds were always too great to fully heal. 

“Nothing.  No one. Go away, Loki.”

He squatted down beside me, turning the water off.  “Tell me what happened and I’ll turn it back on.”

I felt the air go cold, then incredibly hot.  I forced myself to my feet, pushing past him. “You idiot.  That was regulating my temperature and now it’ll take three times as long to heal, which I  _ really  _ don’t need when I’m supposed to be looking after you.”  Sweat beaded on my forehead. For some reason, the only way I could heal after one of my fun torture-sessions was to be under freezing water, since my body itself was beyond freezing after coming back from Hell.  The cold water warmed me, versus hot water which would literally burn. But if I was taken out of it my temperature plummeted drastically, and I was left with a fever for several days.

I learned that the hard way.

“What.  Happened.”

“You told me to sleep.  So I did.”

Loki looked both confused and furious at my vague answer, so I elaborated.  “Tartarus kind of hates me and likes to torture me in my sleep. Hence my need to stay up.”

“You should have told me.”

“For what purpose, Loki?”  I asked tiredly, supporting myself on the wall.  “So you could laugh while I bled? Kick me when I was down?  Please, just go. Killing me can wait a few hours, right?”

The god scowled.  “Idiot demigod, I’m not going to kill you.  You should have told me so I could help.”

I snorted.  “I’m not a weakling.  I can take care of myself.  Now please, get out of my room and do whatever gods do in their free time.”

He ignored me, pressing a hand to my forehead.  I hissed in pain, jumping backwards, which summoned more blood from my body.  I could feel a burn forming from where his hand touched. 

_ Isn’t this wonderful _ . 

“Don’t scream, Perseus,” Loki warned, then a rush of cool air enveloped me. 

I wanted to cry, but in a good way.

Instead of Loki, some strange being took his place.  It was tall – taller than the god, somehow – and had completely blue skin.

And it was cold, which felt like heaven to my burning skin. 

He laid his hand on my forehead again, but this time, it quieted the burning in my veins.  I choked back a gasp, the other pain rushing back as the heat dissipated. 

“I don't know what you are, but that’s a really cool trick,” I managed, even though my voice sounded strangled.  I hoped Loki realized that I was struggling with pain, not him. 

I knew how it felt to be ostracized. 

“I am a Frost Giant,” Loki said, his breath cool on my face.  The cold numbed my wounds, too, so that was an added bonus. “I am a Jotun.”

I nodded, taking in his form.  “That’s awesome. You remind me of the Hyperborean Giants… they were evil, but totally redeemed in my book once Kronos was stuck under one of their butts.”

Loki looked a little stunned, probably expecting me to push him away or freak or try to kill him or something.  Not crack a joke. 

“Thanks.  For, uh, warming me up with your frostiness.”

_ Because that makes sense.  _

Loki cracked a smile.  “I never thought I’d find someone colder than me.”

I laughed but regretted it as soon as pain split through me once more.  “I should wash the blood off me.” I managed to stand with my weight resting fully on the wall.  “Go do whatever you want, but don’t get caught because they’ll assume you're doing something bad without me there.”

“I’m not leaving.”

I rolled my eyes, shoving him lightly.  “Go, man. Find something better to do than listen to my screams.”

“Let me heal you.”

I looked at him skeptically.  “I’m fine. I have the water.”

“Water can’t take away the pain,” he shot back, but his eyes softened.  “I’ve been tortured before. I know… how helpless it makes you feel. Just let me take the pain.”

“No,” I said firmly.  “I got this. Go.” I refused to let someone see me vulnerable for longer than needed.  It only brought pain and destruction.

I tried to step towards the bathroom, but I didn’t have the wall to support me and fell forward.  I crashed towards the floor, my ears ringing slightly as I tried to regain my breath. My light blue shirt was soaked in red. 

_ Darn, I liked this one. _

I pushed myself up, gritting my teeth.  This wasn’t near as bad as when Tartarus broke my ankles and forced me to walk.  I cleared my head, feeling the pain for a moment, and pushed everything out of my thoughts. 

The pain automatically began to dissipate, a sense of numbness overcoming me, and I managed to make it to the bathroom without any more incidents.  I didn’t notice Loki was behind me until I was struggling to take off my shirt and heard a low sigh.

“Your inability to see how idiotic you are is going to get you killed,” Loki growled. 

“I know I’m an idiot, I just don’t care,” I said with a small, forced smile.  “Now get out before I hit you for following me.”

“I told you I wasn’t leaving,” he said.  I could practically hear his smirk. “This would be a lot easier if you acknowledged that and let me heal you.”

“It barely even hurts,” I mumbled, turning the water on and getting in the shower fully clothed again.  I closed my eyes in relief as it pelted me softly, excess blood dripping off and flowing down the drain.  “Go away so I can take my clothes off, you creep.”

“You’re in no condition to make me do anything.”

“And you want to help me so I  _ can _ make you do things?  That doesn’t even make sense, Loki.”

“Yet I have the feeling you would do the same for me.  We’re about to start a war, Perce, and we need every fighter we can get.”

I closed my eyes, leaning against the wall.  “Did you just… please don’t call me that.”

He was silent for a minute.  “Okay. Now either you can let me in your head and let me heal you or I can force my way in, but the latter will be much more painful for both of us.”

“How about neither?”

“Not the time for snark, Percy.  If you don’t let me in you’ll feel every second of yourself ripping apart before pulling together again.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I said, trying to pull my shirt off.  I didn’t even care that he was in the room. I didn’t care about much now.  “Please, just let me deal with this myself.”

“You got me out and now you have to deal with me, remember?”  He asked, waving his hand. My shirt disappeared.

“Hey!  What was that for?”

Loki didn’t respond, only looking at my chest.  Well, the reminders of my little torture session.  He looked up at me, scowling. “You’re an idiot. More so than I thought.”  With another wave of his hand, we were both in his room, myself laying down on the bed and him standing above me.  “Did you really think you could heal this yourself?”

“Yes.  Maybe. Okay, no, but I would’ve been fine,” I said, feeling slightly dizzy.  He touched my shoulder, prodding the damaged tissue. I held back a yelp as I looked to the opposite wall.  “I’m getting your bed all bloody, y’know.”

“Shut up,” he muttered, looking over me with calculating eyes.  “On a scale of one to ten, ten being you wish you were dead, how much pain are you in?”

I cracked a smile, trying to get up.  “Oh, definitely eleven. But I’m good with dealing with pain, so don’t worry.”

“Don’t worry, he says,” Loki rolled his eyes, obviously frustrated, then looked at me with such intensity that I would have squirmed if I could move without crying.  And there was no way in Tartarus that I’m crying in front of  _ him _ . 

I felt a presence prodding at my mind, trying to get in.  I immediately focused on shutting it out, counting the cracks on the ceiling. 

“Let me in, Percy,” Loki growled.

“That’s you?”  I was more surprised than I should’ve been.  But as I examined the presence, still careful to keep myself closed, I noticed that it wasn’t at all like Tartarus’. 

This one wasn’t malevolent.  The shadows of Loki’s mind were not the oily tar of the primordial’s. 

“Of course it’s me.  Let me in. I won’t do anything but take the pain and heal.”

“No,” I said, shutting him out as I closed my eyes.  Annabeth had taught me a few things about shielding minds.  Perhaps she learned it from Loki. 

Instead of a wall to protect me, I had a hurricane, and I kept it roaring as I felt Loki poking around.  I didn’t want him in my head. I didn’t want  _ anyone _ in my head ever again.

But as Loki kept testing me, I sent a gust of mental water to him and his barrier, taking him off guard.  His was pure energy, a pulsing, green power. 

“Percy, you need to  _ stop _ .”  Loki’s voice sounded desperate and when I opened my eyes to look at him, continuing my mental barrage, he looked almost scared.

“I’ll let you in mine if you let me in yours.”  I kept myself emotionless. If he had the power to go through my emotions and thoughts and memories, I wanted the power to do the same.  If he lashed out at me, he had to risk me lashing back at him. 

“Fine.”

I softened my attack, my hurricane now lapping waves.  I felt him do the same, his wall of energy becoming a thick fog. 

And then I could feel him.  In my head as I was in his. 

_ I hate this. _

“Yeah, well, me too,” he said, before realizing I didn’t talk out loud.  When I glared at him, he raised his hands. “You were broadcasting it to me.  Now, relax.”

“How am I supposed to relax when I can feel you poking around in my head?”

“The same way I am when you’re poking around in mine,” he growled.  I paused and stopped my unconscious sifting through his thoughts.

_ Sorry _ .

“Me too.  Now relax.”

I gritted my teeth but forced myself to think about something calming.

_ The smell of cookies.  _

_ I could hear my mom humming in the kitchen, swaying back and forth and she took another batch out of the oven.  She heard me moving and spun around, smiling. “Percy, baby. How’s this for impossible blue food?” _

_ I laughed, staring in awe at the colored cookie.  “Does it taste the same, mama?” _

_ She smiled down at me, sunlight catching on her hair.  “Exactly the same, except with more love. You can only have two, okay?”  She bent down, kissing my cheek. _

_ “Yes, mama.  I love you.” _

_ “I love you too, baby.  I have to leave for work now, are you going to be okay with Gabe?” _

_ “…Yes, mama.” _

I pulled myself out of the memory before it could turn dark, noticing something surreal. 

I didn’t hurt.

**_I took away the pain,_** I heard Loki say in my mind.  His hands hovered over my chest, surrounded by a swirling green light. 

“Thank you,” I croaked, coughing slightly.

**_Stop talking, demigod.  You’ll only damage your throat further._ **

_ Well aren’t you a ray of sunshine. _

**_It would not be wise to anger me when I am trying to help, Percy._ **

_ I didn’t ask for help. _

**_You needed it._ **

_ Why? _

**_Why what, demigod?_ **

_ Why are you bothering with me? _

**_I owed you for taking me out of my prison.  Now we’re even._ **

_ Does this mean you’ll be trying to kill me? _

**_I said I wouldn’t kill you.  Have I done anything to convince you otherwise?_ **

_ …You glare? _

I hear him laugh out loud, his amusement projecting itself into my mind.  I smile; it’s a good feeling. I may not be able to feel happiness anymore, but this was pretty damn close.

_ Thank you, Loki. _

I don’t know how to fully express what I’m feeling, but I think he gets it.  I suppose sharing minds has its perks.

I just hope he doesn’t go through my head once he’s done.

**_I won’t touch your mind, demigod._ **

_ Was I broadcasting that one too? _

**_No.  It was on your face._ **

Ouch.  Apparently I’m transparent.

**_You’re not easy to read, don’t worry.  I only know because I was thinking the same thing._ **

_ I would never do that to a person.  _

**_And I would never do that to you._ **

_ Just me, huh?  I feel special.  _

**_You see good where there is none.  I have never met someone as ignorant as you._ **

_ You’re right.  The man healing me for no good reason is completely evil.  Duh. _

**_Demigod, watch your tone._ **

_ Or what, you’ll torture me? _

**_Don’t joke._ **

_ It was only a half joke and you know it. _

**_Yes.  But I would not do that._ **

_ Why does everyone think you're evil?  Even before New York? _

**_I am Jotun._ **

_ That doesn’t make sense. _

**_I come from a race of monsters.  How could I not be evil?_ **

_ I come from a race of assholes.  How can I only be annoying? _

**_Do not mock me, youngling._ **

_ Don’t say stupid things, old person. _

**_You_ ** **are** **_annoying._ **

_ Well, duh.  How else do you think I attract all those monsters? _

**_It is your demigod scent, is it not?_ **

_ Yeah, I suppose, but I was trying to make a point. _

**_I have a question._ **

_ Hit me up. _

**_And don’t move, because I’m currently healing your internal organs and I don’t want to miss.  Why do your guts look like they’ve been dragged out?_ **

_ That’s your question?  I was gutted. I thought that was fairly obvious. _

**_What else did Tartarus do?_ **

_ How is this relevant? _

**_I need to know what else I need to heal._ **

_ That’s a lie.  Well, it’s not the whole truth.  I’m in your head, doofus. _

**_Watch yourself, demigod.  I hold your life in my hands._ **

_ Like I care.  You’re changing the subject. _

**_Why would you not care if your life is on the line?_ **

_ You’re still changing the subject.  You’re angry about something, I can feel it.  What? _

**_I am angry about many things, demigod._ **

_ Don’t BS me, Loki. _

**_I am angry at people who cause pain._ **

_ Including yourself? _

**_Especially myself._ **

_ I won’t say you shouldn’t be, because you should.  But it does no good to dwell too long on the past. You must move forward to make yourself a better person.  The fact that you are angry means that you have  _ already _ become a better person. _

**_Wise words for a child._ **

_ Thanks.  I try. And don’t call me a child. _

Silence.

I let the darkness of my mind wash over me, feeling more peaceful than I had in a while.  The absence of pain was not something I had felt since Annabeth’s death.

The reminder of Annabeth made the peaceful feeling disappear.

**_Demigod, whatever it is you are thinking about, stop.  I can’t concentrate with the emotions you are projecting._ **

_ Oh.  Sorry. _

I knew I couldn’t let the image of her go quite yet, even as it hurt me, so I retreated into a corner of my mind where Loki couldn’t feel me.

And I let her rip me apart.

 

> Percy

**_Demigod, where are you?_ **

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Loki sounded panicked.

But I shoved my pain as far inside as it would go, locking it tight so no one but me could feel it, and came back into the forefront of my mind.

“Sorry,” I croaked aloud.  “Got distracted.”

“I could not feel you.  How?” Loki’s hands still hovered over my chest, but I could feel that he was almost done.  My legs had popped back into place and my shoulder was no longer dislocated. And hey look, my fingernails had grown back.

“You said you couldn’t concentrate, so I removed that part of me from your reach.”

**_I thought I was the only one,_** Loki thought, myself obviously not meant to hear.   ** _Who is this boy_** **?**

“I’m almost done,” He said aloud. “I would offer to help you sleep, but it is dawn and it will look suspicious if we do not show our faces at breakfast.”

_ Help me sleep?  How? _  I kept my thoughts closely guarded, as I could still feel the god’s presence in my mind.  My stomach rumbled but I knew it would not be safe to eat this soon after a torture session.  I would always end up throwing it back up. 

After a few minutes, Loki raised his hands and grinned proudly.  “I think I did a fine job, did I not?”

I forced a smile as he withdrew from my mind and the familiar pain rushed back.  “Thank you, Loki.”

Injuries or not, the pain would always remain.  I left the god’s head, too, standing up and successfully hiding my wince.

_ There are some injuries that will never heal. _

“So, food?”  I asked, clutching my hands behind my back so they would not shake.  I would eat something, anything, because I needed the energy. Hopefully taking limited amounts would let me keep it down.

I missed food.

Loki brought me to a large room with an equally large table in it, surrounded by high-backed chairs.  On it was a feast fit for a king.

_ Oh, wait. _

I suppressed my snicker as we walked to the table.  “Loki,” I whispered. “Is it always this… extravagant?”  I waved my hand around and he gave me a half-smile.

“No, Percy.  They are ‘celebrating’ my return and your arrival.  Truly, it is a way for them to watch us. Before Midgard I would have breakfast in closed quarters in private or with close friends.  Midday is the same, though it is not uncommon for Odin to summon us and announce something as we dine. Dinner is in this room, with several warriors that you may take a liking to.”

“What’s that s’posed to mean?”  I asked, plopping down at the seat.  Thor was already there but we were the only three in the room.

Loki only grinned mischievously at my question and sat down in the seat to the right of mine.  Not a moment later, Odin and Frigga walked into the room. “We have decided that it is best if only us eat together this morning,” Odin announced.  “For safety’s sake.”

Loki scowled beside me, muttering something under his breath that sounded something like an obscenity that I didn’t wish to repeat.

Odin, thankfully, didn’t hear.

We ate in silence.  Thor piled large amounts of everything on his plate, unsurprisingly, while the other three took regular sized portions.  I picked a piece of bread, hoping to the gods that I could keep it down. They all gave me curious looks but didn’t mention it.  Maybe they were used to scarred soldiers.

I ate my bread slowly, grabbing an apple but not eating it.  The rest of the meal progressed in silence – they were here to watch, not to socialize. 

I awkwardly got up as soon as Loki finished.  “Thank you,” I said, addressing Odin and Frigga.  “For the food and the roof.” They nodded, acknowledging my thanks, and I walked over to the fireplace and discretely tossed the apple in.

_ For old time’s sake. _

 

As I left, Loki followed.  “So, what do you do all day?”  I asked him, genuinely curious.

“I read.  I train. I walk.”  His reply sounded clipped, forced.

_ Who pissed in  _ his _ Cheerios? _

My eyes lit up at the sound of training.  That’s what I needed – to swing my sword around and let the adrenaline flow through my veins, without the risk of hurting anyone.  These were gods. They could contain me, unlike the avengers.

Well, hopefully they could.  Even I didn’t know the full extent of my powers.  I had always managed to stop myself before I snapped. 

I wandered around the palace with Loki in my shadow.  After what seemed like hours, I couldn’t take it.

“What’s got you in such a mood?”  I asked Loki, squinting my eyes in irritation.  When he didn’t reply, I sighed. “Look, I’m not an idiot.  I know you don’t want to be here, so go. I won’t stop you.  Just don’t hurt anyone.”

The god only nodded, turning to walk away.  A wave of nausea hit me, memories of Annabeth turning her back resurfacing, and I forced the feeling down with such ferocity that I almost stumbled.  But I turned away from him, too, and jogged off the palace grounds. 

I found a forest, dark and green and bursting with life.  A few miles in (I was letting off steam by running, okay, don’t judge me) I managed to come across a waterfall hanging off the edge of a cliff. 

I didn’t like heights at the best of times, but I decided that this was an exception.  I sat down dangled my legs off the edge next to the later, leaning back onto the grass and letting my head hit the ground.

“I’ve been staring at the edge of the water,” I sang softly, letting a smile drift across my face.  Grace – my baby step-sister – loved that movie with a passion. And I loved her.

Which is why I had to stay away.

My mom, as conflicted as she was, agreed.  She knew that my demigod scent would only attract trouble, so she let me go with the condition that I had to IM her as much as possible.

Which I hadn’t done for over two weeks.

_ Shit, she’s probably worried sick. _

I grabbed a drachma from my pocket and tossed it into the mist formed by the waterfall, saying the words properly, without the usual slang and sass.

I was too tired for that, but I drudged up a convincing smile as my mom shimmered into view.

Her, Paul, and Grace were around a table eating.  Lunch, most likely. I let their smiles wash over me for a moment, then called out, “Hey Mom!”

She gasped, turning my direction.  “Oh, Percy, my baby! I was so worried something had happened to you!”

I grinned.  “Nah, Mom, you know how I am.  I’m always okay. How’s my favorite sister?”

The two-and-a-half year old gave me a toothy smile.  “I love you, Percy!”

I laughed, almost genuinely.  They all seemed fooled, thank the gods.  “I love you too, Gracie.” My mom and I chatted for a while and I managed to avoid telling her about Asgard, knowing she would freak out if she knew I was with the man who launched a battle and killed hundreds.

I mean, I had done worse, but she didn’t need to know that either.  She didn’t bring up death and neither did I.

After a half hour, I felt someone approaching, so I said goodbye and waved my hand through the mist.  My temporary mirage of happiness disappeared and I slumped back onto the ground.

Someone sat down beside me.  “Percy?”

Loki.

“Percy’s not here at the moment.  Please leave a message. BEEP.” Honestly, I was just trying to crack a joke so he’d go away and I could cry in peace.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smile.

“What were you doing?”  The god asked, cutting through the silence.  “With the apple in the fire?”

I let out a breath.  “It was something we used to do.  Offer food to our parentage. I haven’t done it in a year, but I figured it’d be a way to say a final goodbye.”

“Goodbye?”  He sounded confused and I let myself smile wryly. 

“I’m not going to make it out of this next battle and you know it.”

I would fully drain myself before I let those two monsters destroy everyone I loved.  The three people I had left. And I had a feeling that that’s what it would take to stop them.

“You are not going anywhere anytime soon, demigod.”  He sounded convinced and I had to hold back an eye roll.

“Whatever you say, Loki.”

We sat in silence for another minute and I started drumming my fingers on my stomach, unable to keep still.

“Why do you not eat?”  Loki asked softly, like he already knew the answer.  I grimaced. 

“There’s no point if I’m just going to throw it back up.”

“But you are healed.”

“There’s more than physical torture, Loki, and Tartarus got tired of just watching me bleed a long time ago.”

He doesn’t say anything.

“How did you find me?”  I asked. I didn’t really care, but for some reason the silence had started to make me uncomfortable.

“I am a god.”  As if that answer helps.

I stood up, sighing.  “Whatever. I’m gonna go back and find something else to do.”  I walked away, but stopped when I heard his voice.

“May I come with you?”

“Yeah, sure.”

We walked back to the palace side by side, never touching, never speaking.

Yet I found his presence oddly comfortable.   

 

> Percy

Night came quickly.  We ate in my room, though I mostly drank water.  I flopped down on the couch and turned back to the book of fairy tales, since it was the only thing that looked remotely interesting (and it was in Latin, so I could actually read it). 

I groaned when Loki looked over my shoulder.  “You know Latin?”

“Yeah,” I said.  “Comes with the whole demigod thing.  Greek, too.”

He looked intrigued.  “Why not read in English?”

_ Like Hades I’m telling you. _

“This one was closer,” I fibbed, momentarily forgetting that the god of lies could see through lies.

Stupid, I know.

“What are you so afraid of?”  Loki mused, looking down at me.  I mean, we were around the same height, so he wasn’t  _ literally _ looking down, but his posture and attitude certainly made it seem so.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, only half-lying.

“You are less guarded around me,” he stated matter-of-factly.  “Just as I do not lie to you, for a reason of which I am not entirely aware.  But why do you hold simple answers back? Refuse simple offers of help?”

“Because I do not know you.  I do not trust you.” It was an honest answer, just maybe not the whole truth.

Loki looked at me for a long moment, his eyes questioning.  Then a look of understanding came over him, and he sat on the couch beside me, looking regal even in that.

“I would not eat meat when I was younger,” Loki said softly, his voice almost a whisper.  “I refused to kill when it was not needed. Odin did not stand for that. For years afterwards, he made me provide the meat for the table.  He did not give me weapons to kill my prey, either. I was forced to kill them with my bare hands, to look them in the eye as I drained their life.  It was only until I grew to enjoy it that Odin let me stop.”

I paused, both at the nugget of information he just gave me and the knowledge of what he was trying to do.

_ He’s telling me something personal in the hopes that I will return the favor.  I don’t know why he cares or what he wants, but the pit in my stomach is gone, so maybe I’ll trust my instincts with this. _

I nodded to show him I heard but didn’t offer any form of comfort.  Instead, I said, “I’m dyslexic. I can’t read English, only Greek and Latin.  Because of that, I wasn’t treated the best throughout school. And my ADHD didn’t exactly help.  Whenever I got into fights, whether I started them or not, they would always blame me. Because who else would be the problem, besides Percy Jackson, the failure troublemaker?”

“How old are you?”  I don’t even blink at his rapid change of subject.

“Seventeen.  Don’t patronize me because of my age, Loki.”

His face softened.  “I am over a thousand years old, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that a lot of pain can be held at seventeen.”

I swallowed the thick feeling in my throat, locking my emotions down as hard as I could. 

_ No weakness. _

“Psh.  Nothing I can’t handle.  So, tell me, what’s it like being a god?  Is immortality all that it claims to be?”

I could feel the air grow cold.  “I cannot die, and that is both a blessing and a curse.  I have seen countless lives pass and empires grow and fall.  But even though immortality is its own hell, I would never wish to be mortal.”

“That makes one of us,” I muttered.  “I’m glad I turned them down.”

Loki looked confused.  “Turned who down?”

I glance up at him, avoiding his eyes.  “Oh, you don’t know. I suppose they wouldn’t want it advertised.”

“Percy…”  His tone was warning, and even though I knew I could take him in a fight, I had to stop myself from squirming.

“The gods.  They offered me immortality.”

“And you said no?”  Loki was incredulous.

“…Three times.”

His eyes glinted with amusement.  “Demigod, I will have fun playing with you.”

I laughed, but it came out sounding forced.  “Ouch. Thanks, dude.”

Something akin to regret played across his face.  “That’s not what I meant.”

“Sure, whatever.  Go to bed, Loki, it’s late.”

“And you?”  I’m sure my shock at his question showed.  Is he still trying to get a jump on me? And I thought we were making progress.

At my face, Loki sighed.  “Idiot demigod, if you do not rest, your mind will give out and your powers will ravage your body, killing us all in the process.”

Oh.  Cool, he doesn’t want to kill me.

I waved his question off.  “I got an hour last night, I’ll be fine for another day or two.”

He sighed again, searching my face, and I felt the same presence as earlier probing my mind.  “What are you doing?” I asked suspiciously, reaching out to him while keeping myself guarded.

Just because I was tired didn’t mean I wouldn’t put up a fight.

“I want to see if there is a way I can shield your mind.  This way, I could get a night’s rest also.”

I scowled at him, locking up my thoughts and emotions where he couldn’t access them and let him in.  “Your turn,” I said, unconsciously on the balls of my toes, ready to spring into action.

Thankfully, it was unnecessary, because he let his barriers fall just enough so I could slip in.  Immediately I felt a sense of relief – I was not the only one vulnerable to attack.

For some reason this seemed different than last night.  I was not drunk on pain and he was not groggy from sleep.  We were both alert and aware and extremely on-edge.

**_Calm, Percy, I will not attack you._ **  Man, I hated it when he spoke in my mind.  It gave me the heebie-jeebies to know that someone else was in my head.  There were too many bad experiences associated with that.

But I shut out that thought as quickly as it came, because I knew Loki was listening in, looking for anything that would give him an advantage. 

Just because he won’t attack me now doesn’t mean he won’t prepare for later.

I didn’t bother doing the same.  I would rather die than go through someone’s head without permission, and I meant that quite literally.

“You say that now,” I muttered in response to his earlier statement.  “Stop trying to case me out, dude, I can feel you.”

Really, I didn’t care all that much, but I wanted him far away from my hidden thoughts and emotions and memories.  Those were a bit too much for anyone to bear, which is mostly why I kept them under lock and key.

But I think he knew that, because I could sense the same feeling emanating from him – he was hiding, too.

I wasn’t going to ask.

There was only one time I had let someone in on my pain, and that was with the intent to kill them.  And hey, it worked. But that’s for another time. 

Loki looked down at me quizzically. 

“What?”  I tried to make my voice sound as nice as possible, I swear, but I couldn’t help but snarl at him just a little.

**_You’ve had someone in your head before, haven’t you?_ **

“That’s none of your business,” I growled.  “This isn’t going to work. Get out or I’ll force you out.”

**_You’re pushing me because you’re scared.  Or angry. I can’t tell which. Or perhaps it’s you that can’t._ **

“You’re about to end up in a pool of your own blood if you don’t back off.”  I let myself go numb, let the emotion slowly make its way back to the dark pit it came from.

**_What are you doing?_ **  I felt panic rush through his body.  “Percy,” he said, his voice low, “either you calm down and let yourself feel whatever you’re trying to forget, or that numb feeling you’re getting right now will rip you apart.”

_ Screw you, Loki. _

**_That numbness is what allowed the Tesseract to control me in New York.  I’ve shielded the room, both from sound and from letting any destruction come to those outside._ **  Then, aloud, he said harshly, “Breath, Percy.  Don’t let it control you. Don’t let them win.”

Annabeth flashed through my mind.  Her last words. ‘ _ Don’t let them win.’ _

I don’t know if Loki knew that, or if it was some strange coincidence, but a wave of grief came rushing over me and the sweet, soft numbness was dispelled.  And I was angry, furious that I could not let go of life, that the only way to make her death mean something was to stay alive and fight.

Another wave of fury flashed over me, sharp and cold, and I shoved it so far down inside of me that I wasn’t sure it was there in the first place. 

Loki stood back, simply watching me carefully as I kept hold of my emotions.  As I looked up at him, meeting his eyes, sending pure determination through our still-linked minds. 

“I’m going to Earth, with or without you,” I said, my voice strong despite my shaking figure.  “Tonight. I don’t care about the week rule. Odin or not, I’m going back.”

Loki nodded.  “I am with you, demigod.”

I breathed deeply, straightening my posture and putting on a façade of pure ice.  Of strength. 

Tartarus had broken me, and he was going to pay.

 

> Loki

Perseus’ eyes terrified me.

I wasn’t scared for my own safety, of course.  I had no doubt that I could escape his wrath. No, I was terrified for anyone and everyone who stood in his way. 

After I had calmed him, he had changed.  Before, he had seemed broken. Lost. Alone.  On the brink of collapse and in need of a friend.

He had reminded me of myself. 

And now, as he walked out of the door with confidence, I realized exactly how strong the Greek gods were.

Norse and Greek gods were entirely separate entities.  We were evenly matched with demigods, the infernal creatures, which did no good to our reputation. 

Percy could be a god on Asgard, if he so desired.  But the boy had turned down immortality for an unknown reason and I wasn’t entirely keen to find out.

I followed in his shadow, despite the sickening feeling that spread across my stomach when I did so.  I had always spent my life behind someone and here I was, falling into that pattern once more. 

But when Perseus abruptly stopped and brought me to walk beside him, I remembered that he was still in my mind, and that he now knew one of my driving motivations.

I had unwittingly given this demigod a secret, one that I had tried to keep buried for centuries.  The hatred I felt over being unloved, unwanted. The hurt over being pushed behind others and forgotten.  The loneliness and need for recognition that had driven me to kill. Any other person would have used this to their advantage, would have seen a weak point in my faultless armor and known how to hurt me.  But what did this boy do?

He brought me to walk beside him. 

The demigod did not say a word, walking to the throne room in silence.  He did not once look at me, but he did not ask me to withdrawal my mind from his, either. 

I was surprised that he had not severed the connection and I knew he felt this.  But I did not mention it and neither did he. 

If I had not known him, even for the short period that I did, I would not have noticed the way his hands shook as he pushed open the doors.  He did not ask for help and I did not offer, only keeping a careful eye on him as he clasped his hands behind his back. 

He did not want to show weakness to Odin.  This was something I understood.

As Odin looked up at us, at me standing equal to Perseus, his gaze hardened.  I felt Perseus falter slightly even as his body remained collected, so I put on an indifferent mask and settled myself in his mind. 

He was not thinking.  That much I could tell.  He was acting out of instinct and carefully keeping his emotions in check.  I knew he felt me as he coiled his presence in my mind, prepared to strike, but I ignored it and pushed some of my bored and uncaring façade into his mind. 

It was my own way of telling him not to be weak, and I could tell he caught this as he schooled his features into one similar to mine. 

“Odin,” I said almost cockily, bowing.  If I was polite, he would suspect trickery.  If I was violent, he would never let me out of his sight.  So I would be the over-arrogant prick that everyone saw me as, the man who thought too much of himself and too little of others.

“Allfather,” Percy murmured, lowering his head slightly.  “I am here to request permission to leave for Midgard, immediately.  We have no time to waste if we are to battle the upcoming threats.”

“Request denied,” Odin said harshly.  “Frigga granted you a week, which was more than I thought wise.  If it were not for her, you would both be rotting in that dungeon.  You must stay here with the trickster, Perseus.”

**_How rude_ ** , I thought, quickly slipping back into my old persona.   **_He doesn’t even acknowledge me._ **

Percy sent a hint of his amusement towards me, and I could tell he heard. 

“If we don’t go now, we will lose the war,” Percy said, eyes hard and voice hot.  He had to exude flames, breathe fire into his personality, as much at odds as it was with his nature.  The cruel man who had raised me would never trust me with someone who acted cold.

Cold was Jotun, and we were his worst enemy. 

“I must protect my realm.”  Odin’s reply was disinterested, as if he truly didn’t care about Tartarus or Thanos.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t.

“You won’t have a realm to protect much longer.”  Percy let some of his anger slip through, along with a little desperation. 

His emotions were entirely genuine, but the way he was playing Odin made me want to smile. 

“Do not argue, demigod,” Odin spat.  I felt Percy internally shudder.

**_Ignore him, demigod,_ ** I purred into his mind, wicked amusement flashing through my voice.   **_Only I get to call you that._ **

_ Well, I hate you too,  _ I felt him reply, but his back straightened. 

“Odin, I mean no disrespect, but I will leave here tonight and I do not wish to hurt anyone.”

From the look in his eye, Odin believed him. 

“Loki will not leave this building, Perseus.  It is what I commanded and I will not change that.”

Something shifted in Percy and I felt a hole open up in his mind, as if something was missing.  “I need him,” he said, words clipped.

**_What are you doing?_ **  I’m sure Percy could feel my worry, any pretense of being strong gone. 

He was hiding something.

_ Please don’t hate me, _ he whispered into my mind, and it hit me.

Anger.  Pure anger.  He was pouring it into me and I was frozen by the sheer magnitude of emotion.  Others, too – loss, sadness, grief, pain – but the rage was overwhelming. My vision flashed between red and blue as I struggled to contain myself, to not lash out. 

My mind was my own, but it was not.  Percy had already withdrawn.

Icy hot wrath shot through me as I glared at Odin.   _ Kill _ , my mind whispered, my fury completely enveloping me.   _ Kill.  Death. Blood. _

I dug my nails into my palm as I stood on the sidelines, Percy and Odin talking about something.  I could not hear them, could not remember why I was here –

_ Kill _

– One order from myself, from the dark monster inside of me, the one that lashed out in my dreams and grinned at the metallic taste of blood.

They did not notice me.  They did not see me struggling.

No one ever did.

I lunged at Odin, my red eyes coming to the surface as I snarled.  He looked at me, stunned into place. 

_ Kill _

I could not think about anything other than blood,  _ his  _ blood, and how wonderful it would look spread across the marble floors.  I wanted to rip out my ‘father’s’ throat, to make him feel pain as I had done for a thousand years.

He was the one who made me enjoy the kill, and now it was his turn.

Something hit my side and knocked me to the ground.  I spun quickly, not able to think about anything other than the fury.

_ He hurt me so I shall hurt him. _

I lunged again at Odin, but the same force stopped me.  I turned around and snarled at the sight of Perseus. 

Another emotion slammed into me.  Betrayal. Hurt. I did not know how he hurt me, but he had, and I knew what I wanted. 

His blood, decorating the same floor as Odin’s would. 

His hands were raised and surrounded in water.  I jumped at him again, purely animal, conjuring a blade and slashing as I fell towards him. 

A pen fell from his pocket and he grabbed it, transforming it into a sword of his own and parrying my blade in one swift move. 

If I wasn’t so angry, I might be impressed.

In a few quick moves he had disarmed me and bound the water around my ankles and feet.  Something was preventing me from using my magic as I struggled in my bonds. 

I was lifted into the air, still seething, as Perseus turned to Odin. 

“I need him,” I heard the demigod say.  “And I can control him.”

I saw them exchange a few quick words before I was dragged, still bound, out of the palace.

 

> Percy

Oh gods, what have I done?

Loki was still in the air, struggling against my ropes of water.  I shoved into his mind and let out my emotions, let them come back into me where they belonged.  I released him slowly, letting him down on the ground softly.

I made sure to walk over with my hands raised in the universal ‘I surrender’ sign. 

He looked hurt.  I knew he didn’t know why, but he looked so betrayed that I couldn’t help the tear that slipped past my eye. 

“I’m sorry,” I said, kneeling on the ground in front of him.  “So, so sorry.”

He was still struggling with words as I pulled out of his head once more.  “What?” He finally asked, strangled. 

The guilt was overwhelming. 

“I’m sorry, Loki.  I, uh, had to convince him that I could keep you from hurting people.  So I maybe sort of perhaps forced a few of my emotions on you to get you to attack him.”

“That was… you?”  He sounded broken.

“Yeah.”  My throat felt tight.

“I couldn’t think,” he whispered, voice cracking.  “I couldn’t control myself.”

“I know.  I’m sorry.”

“It was the Tesseract all over again.”  The pain in his voice makes it even harder to shove the tears back. 

“I know,” I murmured, looking him in the eyes.  I would not look away. He deserved that, at least.  He deserved for me to face my actions, no excuses between us. 

“I tried so hard to hold it back.  I killed so many people. I would have killed Odin.”

“I know,” I croaked.  I didn’t bother to hold back the tears anymore.  I had stripped him of his control, so it’s only right that I was stripped of mine. 

“I would have enjoyed it.”

“Yes.”  And I didn’t bother to hide the trembling of my hands, the way my body shook under the memories of tearing Gaea to shreds.  The memories of how I had grinned as I scattered her body in the wind, her penance for taking the people I had loved. 

“Those emotions… were you?”

“Yes.  I’m sorry.”  I really was sorry.

“You feel that?  That anger?” This time his question is stronger.  I let my surprise show on my face. 

“Um, yeah.  Sometimes. When I let it out.”  It takes everything in me not to squirm at the way he’s looking at me.  It took him much less time to recover than it did me when I first went into that rage.

“How do you control it?”

I laughed hollowly.  “I don’t let it out.”

“I’ve never felt anger quite that strong.”  It’s a statement, but I can hear the curiosity in his voice. 

“That was the day I killed Gaea.”

“And the betrayal I felt when I looked at you?”

“That was, uh, many times compiled into one.  I’m sorry, I had to get you to come after me. I had a feeling anger wouldn’t work.”

Loki’s voice is cold and sharp, his face carefully blank.  “If you had told me, I would have done it on my own. I would have trusted your judgement and fought Odin of my own free will.”

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t want to risk it.”

“Stop apologizing.  What’s done is done.  Why would you think trusting me would be a risk?”

For a moment the memory of children’s laughter shoots through my head and sends a spear through my heart.  I couldn’t bring myself to look at Loki anymore, instead dropping my gaze to the ground. “I know what family means to a person.”

“He was no family of mine and you knew it.  You didn’t trust me.” The words came out poisonous. 

“No, I didn’t.  Not with this. Not when  _ my _ family was on the line.”

His next words were soft, oddly vulnerable.  “Would you do it again?”

“No.”

“Even when your family is in danger?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I swallowed, clenching my fists and welcoming the pain of my fingernails digging into my palms.  “Because no one deserves to have their control taken from them. Because I stooped to their level and they might as well have won.”

Loki stood up abruptly and walked away.  I remained kneeling in the grass, hands clenched and head bowed. 

A moment later, his voice cut through the silence that I had grown to hate.  “Demigod, are you coming?”

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten up that fast.

I fell into step behind him as we made our way to the rainbow bridge.  I forced myself to breathe evenly and control the spinning in my head as we walked onto the stupid thing. 

Heights suck. 

Like, seriously.  I don’t know why anyone would ever want to be off the ground (excluding the water, obviously).  Maybe this stupid irrational fear was a side-effect from avoiding Zeus. Or maybe I really was just that pathetic. 

_ At least you’re not also nauseous this time, _ I remind myself.   _ Don’t look like an idiot. _

I was breathing through my teeth and silently counting my steps when Loki suddenly stopped.  I almost walked straight into him.

_ Wow, Percy, you can save the world and kill primordials but you’re still somehow a klutz. _

Loki didn’t say anything.  He only stepped to my side and placed his hand on my lower back, giving me a small nudge as a signal to walk. 

I felt awkward as he stayed beside me as we came up to Heimdall, grounding me with his touch. 

This whole saving-the-world thing?

For the record, _barely_ worth the embarrassment. 


End file.
